U.S. patent application number 10/253101 was filed with the patent office on 2004-03-25 for cable stripper.
This patent application is currently assigned to SEATEK CO. INC.. Invention is credited to Ducret, Lucien C..
Application Number | 20040055160 10/253101 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31993093 |
Filed Date | 2004-03-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040055160 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ducret, Lucien C. |
March 25, 2004 |
Cable stripper
Abstract
A blade stripper has a displaceable blade carriage, which is
normally biased toward a cable support to automatically accommodate
differently dimensioned jacketed cables, and a pair of coaxial
handles spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of the blade
stripper to allow the user to apply pulling forces directed
substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis for producing
a linear cut in the jacket.
Inventors: |
Ducret, Lucien C.; (Old
Greenwich, CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Yuri Kateshov, Esq.
DILWORTH & BARRESE, LLP
333 Earle Ovington Blvd.
Uniondale
NY
11553
US
|
Assignee: |
SEATEK CO. INC.
STAMFORD
CT
|
Family ID: |
31993093 |
Appl. No.: |
10/253101 |
Filed: |
September 24, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
30/90.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02G 1/1231
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
030/090.1 |
International
Class: |
B21F 013/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A cable stripper comprising: an elongated column; a cable
support detachably coupled to one end of the elongated column; a
blade carriage provided with a blade assembly and slidably mounted
on the elongated column, the blade carriage and the cable support
being displaceable relative to one another to form a space
therebetween sufficient to selectively receive differently
dimensioned jacketed cables, the blade carriage being resiliently
biased towards the cable support so that when a cable to be
stripped is inserted into the space, the cable support and blade
carriage press against the cable in opposite directions while the
cable's jacket is being cut by the blade assembly.
2. The cable stripper according to claim 1, wherein the guide
column has a central post provided with a seat on one end and
receiving a carriage spring, the carriage spring being braced
between the blade carriage and the seat to bias the carriage toward
the cable support.
3. The cable stripper according to claim 1, wherein the blade
assembly includes a hollow blade housing mounted on the blade
carriage, and a blade holder traversing the hollow blade housing
and resiliently biased away from the end of the hollow blade
housing facing the cable support.
4. The cable stripper according to claim 3, wherein the blade
holder has opposite ends one of which is thicker than the other end
which is coupled to the blade, the cable stripper further
comprising a blade spring extending along the blade holder and
having opposite ends braced against the one end of the blade holder
and the blade carriage to bias the blade holder within the blade
housing.
5. The cable stripper according to claim 4, wherein the blade
housing has a threaded periphery and a U-shaped recess formed in
the periphery and forming angularly spaced guide channels to
provide access to the interior of the blade housing.
6. The cable stripper according to claim 5, further comprising a
hollow lever traversed by a thumb screw coupled to the blade
holder, the hollow lever extends through the recess and operative
to selectively move along the spaced guide channels to establish a
radial cutting position and an axial cutting position of the
blade.
7. The cable stripper according to claim 6, further comprising a
blade cap having an inner threaded surface meshing with the
threaded periphery of the blade housing and displaceable relative
to the blade housing to lock the hollow lever in a desired position
corresponding to one of the radial or axial cutting positions of
the blade.
8. The cable stripper according to claim 6, wherein the blade
holder is provided with two angularly spaced holes selectively
engaged by the thumb screw so that when one of the holes is engaged
by the thumb, the blade can be switched between the radial and
axial cutting positions, and when the other hole is engaged by the
thumb screw, the blade is in a spiral cutting position.
9. The cable stripper according to claim 1, further comprising a
dial assembly rotatably mounted on the blade housing to enable the
blade assembly to penetrate the jacket of the cable at a
predetermined depth.
10. The cable stripper according to claim 7, wherein the dial
assembly includes a dial ring mounted on the blade housing between
the blade carriage and the blade cap, so that when the blade cap is
displaced toward the dial ring, the hollow lever is locked between
the opposing faces of the dial ring and the blade cap.
11. The cable stripper according to claim 10, wherein the dial ring
has a scale provided on the face of the dial ring facing the blade
cap and indicating a desired penetration of the blade into the
jacket upon rotating the dial ring in an operative position, the
cable stripper further comprising a ring lock mounted on the blade
carriage and biased in a lock position, wherein the dial ring is
locked against further rotation after having been rotated in the
operative position.
12. The cable stripper according to claim 11, wherein the ring lock
has a plate-like body formed with spaced oblong holes and extending
between opposite ends, one of the ends being provided with a
resilient element extending between the blade carriage and the one
end, and the other end extending from the blade carriage to
terminate flush with the scale and to provide an index for
establishing the operative position of the dial ring.
13. The cable stripper according to claim 12, further comprising a
plurality of fasteners each extending through a respective oblong
hole and removably attached to the blade carriage so that when an
external force is applied to the one end of the plate-like body,
the ring lock is displaceable until the extremities of the oblong
holes engage the fasteners.
14. The cable stripper according to claim 1, further comprising a
handle pivotally attached to a side of the cable support facing
away from the blade carriage, the handle having a point of
attachment lying on a central axis which extends through the guide
support, the blade carriage and the blade assembly.
15. A cable stripper comprising: an elongated column; a cable
support detachably coupled to one end of the elongated column; a
blade carriage provided slidably mounted on the elongated column,
the blade carriage and the cable support being displaceable
relative to one another to form a space therebetween sufficient to
receive differently dimensioned jacketed cables; and a blade
assembly provided with a resiliently biased blade and mounted on
the blade carriage to travel therealong along the elongated column,
the resilient blade being biased away from the blade carriage in a
rest position of the blade to prevent contact between the user and
the tip of the blade.
16. A cable stripper comprising: an elongated column; a cable
support detachably coupled to one end of the elongated column and
centered along a longitudinal axis; a blade carriage coaxial with
the cable support and slidably mounted on the elongated column, the
blade carriage and the cable support being displaceable relative to
one another to form a space therebetween sufficient to receive
differently dimensioned jacketed cables; a blade coaxial with and
mounted on the blade carriage to move therealong; a blade cap
removably attached to the blade carriage and extending in one axial
direction from the blade; and a handle attached to the cable
support so that a point of attachment lies on the longitudinal axis
and extending generally in opposite axial direction, so that when
the blade penetrates into the cable to be stripped, the handle and
the blade cap provide a reliable grip for the user as the cable
stripper and the cable move relative to one another.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to hand tools, and in particular, the
invention relates to a portable cable stripper automatically
adjustable to accommodate differently dimensioned jacketed cables
and safely removing jackets from these cables in a simple and
efficient manner.
[0003] 2. Background of Technological Field
[0004] It is difficult to imagine our life without a limitless
variety of electro-powered devices. What is less obvious is that
all of these devices are provided with innumerous cables connecting
devices to one another and to power sources as well as providing
communication between separate components within the same device.
Many cables have jackets having outer diameters varying from very
small to gigantic. Cable connections involve stripping jackets from
cables to be connected, wires and conductors, and, quite often,
such stripping is an onerous and unsafe task.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,417, which is commonly assigned with the
present application and incorporated herein by reference, discloses
a cable stripper which enjoys a well-deserved success. However, the
cable stripper disclosed in this patent has a complex structure
associated with a relatively high manufacturing cost.
[0006] It is, therefore, desirable to provide a cable stripper
having a simple structure that is easy to adjust, safe to use, and
that can provide an easy access to difficult to reach
locations.
3. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a
portable cable stripper having an easily adjustable structure for
reliably holding differently dimensioned jacketed cables during a
stripping operation.
[0008] Another object of the invention is to provide a portable
cable stripper having a resiliently-biased blade assembly to
prevent the cable to be stripped from being damaged during a
stripping operation.
[0009] Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a
portable cable stripper having a guide assembly for displacing the
cable stripper along a straight cutting line.
[0010] Consistent with the foregoing objects, the inventive
portable cable stripper is automatically adjusted to grip
differently dimensioned jacketed cables with a resiliently-biased
blade holding carriage. To accomplish it, the blade holding
carriage slides towards the periphery of the jacketed cable and
presses against it so as to position the jacketed cable in a
cutting position, in which the cable and the cable stripper can
move relative to one another only upon applying an external
force.
[0011] An advantage of the resiliently biased blade holding
carriage it provides a reliable and easily adjustable grip of the
portable cable stripper on a jacketed cable, even when such a cable
is inconveniently located.
[0012] According to another aspect of the invention, a blade
assembly is provided with a resilient element retracting a blade
from a cutting position after a cut has been completed.
[0013] This improvement facilitates an easy switch of the blade
between a straight cut, a circumferential cut and a spiral cut.
Furthermore, the biased blade is automatically retracted from its
cutting position after a lock on the blade is released.
Accordingly, the risk that the user can be cut during the switch of
the blade positioning is substantially minimized.
[0014] In accordance with a further improvement, the portable cable
stripper has a convenient guiding assembly stirring the blade along
a desired straight line during the stripping operation. This is
accomplished by a holder engageable by one hand of the user and
mounted on one of the opposite ends of the cable stripper. The
opposite end of the cable stripper has an elongated guide column
shaped and dimensioned to provide a convenient surface engageable
by other hand of the user.
[0015] As a result of the guiding assembly, pulling forces exerted
by the hands of the user are uniformly distributed along opposite
segments of the circumference of the cable to be stripped, which,
in turn, prevents twisting of the cable stripper relative to the
cable to be stripped.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] These and other objects, features and advantages will become
more readily apparent when reference is made to the following
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0017] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the cable stripper in
accordance with the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 2 is an isometric view a portion of the inventive cable
stripper illustrating cable guide and blade carriage
assemblies;
[0019] FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a blade housing;
[0020] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a blade holder; and
[0021] FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the blade assembly.
SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION
[0022] Referring to FIGS. 1-5 in general, and to FIG. 1, in
particular, a portable cable stripper 10 includes a V-shaped cable
support 12 for receiving a cable to be stripped, a guide column 14
removably attached to the cable support, a blade-holding carriage
16 slidable along the guide column and a guide assembly including a
handle 20, which is attached to an outer side of the cable
support.
[0023] The portable cable stripper is a labor-saving tool
adjustable to remove jackets from rigid fiber optic and plastic
jacketed cables having an outer diameter which may vary from about
{fraction (3/16)}" to 2". In operation, the user initially sets a
desirable distance at which a blade 70 (FIG. 5) should penetrate
the jacket of the cable. Following it, the blade carriage 16 is
pulled outwards from the V-shaped cable support 12 to form a space
sufficient to receive the cable, and once the cable is placed on
the cable support, the blade carriage automatically slides towards
and presses against the periphery of the jacket. Accordingly, the
cable is locked between the cable support 12 and the blade carriage
16.
[0024] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, automatic displacement of
the blade carriage 16 toward the cable to be stripped is caused by
a spring 68 mounted on a central post 66, better shown in FIG. 2,
and biasing the blade carriage towards the cable support 12. The
post 66 is removably mounted on one side of the cable support and
traverses a central hole formed in a flange 22 of the guide
carriage, which, thus, has an L-shape. The post further has a
thickened outer end sized and shaped to form a seat for the outer
end of the spring 68, the opposite end of which urges against the
flange 22 of the blade guide so as to push the latter towards the
cable placed on the cable support.
[0025] A desired position of the blade carriage can be registered
by a carriage lock 26 provided with a screw 84, which is actuated
by a handle 82 so that the screw 84 engages a threaded portion of
locking cylinder 58 (FIG. 1). The desired position is ensured when
the locking cylinder 58 is pulled against the central post 66.
[0026] Guide recesses 24 formed on the opposite sides of the flange
22 provide linear displacement of the blade carriage in a plane
perpendicular to a tangent to the periphery of a circular cable.
Preferably, the bottoms of the guide recesses 24 each have a
respective surface extending complementary to a peripheral surface
of the side posts of the guide column 14, which are, as shown in
FIG. 1, are tubular. However, the cross-section of the posts is not
limited to any particular configuration and may be, for example,
polygonal.
[0027] Disassembly of the cable stripper 10 is simplified by
attaching inner ends of the side posts of the guide column 14 (FIG.
1) and of the central post 66 (FIG. 2) to a flange 92 of the cable
support 12 by fasteners 90 extending through openings 88, which are
provided on the flange 92. The guide recesses 24, better
illustrated in FIG. 2, are laterally open to facilitate the
installation of the guide column 14, which is U-shaped and, thus,
features a loop easily engageable by the user's fingers during the
transportation of the cable stripper. The bottoms of the guide
recesses and the side holes 88 have a uniform radius and are
aligned with one another to ensure that the guide column 14 extends
substantially perpendicular to a plane in which the guide support
12 lies.
[0028] The blade carriage 16 carries a blade assembly 18 including
a blade positioning dial ring 56 (FIG. 1), which is rotated by the
user to establish a desired position corresponding to the desired
depth of penetration of the blade into the jacket of the cable to
be stripped. The dial ring 56 is operative to rotate to an initial
position corresponding to a zero penetration of the blade 70 which
is established when the zero "O" mark of the scale formed on the
dial ring is juxtaposed with a top edge of index 38 (FIG. 2). A
releasable ring lock 30, which is mounted on the side of the blade
carriage opposite its flange 22, is operable for locking the dial
ring in a position corresponding to the desired penetration of the
blade. The ring lock 30 is a spring-biased structure, which, in a
normal or locking position, prevents rotation of the dial ring 56,
as will be explained below.
[0029] A resilient element of the ring lock, such as a spring 32
(FIG. 1), urges the ring lock 30 towards the locking position. The
ring lock is substantially a plate-like element having a center
recess 31 (FIG. 2) frictionally engaging the dial ring 56 in the
locking position of the ring lock 30. In response to an external
force, the ring lock 30 can move out of the locking position and
release the dial ring 56, so that the latter can be further rotated
the desired position corresponding to the selected depth of the
blade penetration. Preferably, the index 38 is attached to the ring
lock 30 and extends outwards from the blade carriage 16 to
terminate flush with the scale for the convenience of the user. The
dial ring has a structured surface provided with alternating ribs
and troughs slidably engaging a v-shaped edge of the index 38 to
indicate the number of turns corresponding to the desired depth of
the blade penetration into the cable's jacket. After the desired
position has been set, an external force is ceased, and the ring
lock returns to its locking position. Sliding motion of the ring
lock 30 relative to the guide carriage 16 becomes possible due to a
pair of spaced oblong holes 34 (FIG. 2) formed on the ring lock 30
and traversed by fasteners 36, which are removably attached to the
blade carriage 16. The fasteners 36 are shaped and dimensioned so
as to allow the ring lock's displacement, which is restricted only
by the size of the holes.
[0030] The blade assembly 18 further includes a hollow blade
housing 40 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4) and a blade holder 60, better
illustrated in FIG. 5. The blade housing 40 extends through an
opening formed in the blade carriage 16 and has a hollow interior
receiving the blade holder 60 which is sized to controllably rotate
within the blade housing, as will be explained below. The periphery
of the blade housing 40 is threaded to mesh with a threaded inner
surface of a blade cap 100 (FIG. 1), which also acts as a blade
lock, as will be explained below.
[0031] A U-shaped recess 54 (FIG. 3) formed in the periphery of the
blade housing 40 provides a guide channel for a lever 28, which is
removably fixed to the blade holder 60 by a thumb screw 52 (FIG. 1)
so as to displace the blade 70 between numerous positions
corresponding to radial, axial and spiral cuts of the jacket in the
following manner. To make a straight axial or radial cut, the blade
holder 60 is provided with a first threaded hole 48 spaced at a
90.degree. angle from a hole 46 traversed by a fastener which
interconnects the blade 70 and the blade holder 60. As the blade
holder 60 is inserted through the hollow interior of the blade
housing 40, the hole 48 is accessible through the U-shaped recess
54 (FIG. 3) and receives the threaded end of the thumb screw 52.
Accordingly, the U-shaped recess 54 is formed with a pair of side
channels spaced at a 90.degree. angle from one another and a
bridging channel extending between the juxtaposed ends of the side
channels.
[0032] Depending on which of the side channels of the U-shaped
recess 54 receives the shaft of the lever 28, the blade holder 60
along with the blade 70 assume a radial cut position, in which the
blade is turned at a 90.degree. angle with respect to the axis of
the cable, or an axial cut position, wherein the blade 70 extends
parallel to the axis.
[0033] Turning to FIGS. 4 and 5, the inner end 102 of the blade
holder 60 is recessed to receive the blade 70 removably attached to
the inner end by a fastener and extending substantially flush with
the rest of the blade holder. The outer end 64 of the blade holder
provides a seat for one end of a spring 62, the other end of which
embraces a flange 44 (FIG. 1) attached to the inner side of the
blade carriage 16 so that the spring 62 biases the blade holder 60
away from the cable support 12. As a consequence, the user applies
a force overcoming the spring force and sufficient to guide the
lever 28 along one of the side channels of the U-shaped recess 54
and extending beyond a flange 42 of the blade housing 40 exactly at
the desired distance. The blade cap 100 is then screwed in on the
blade housing 40 to lock the lever 28 between its inner surface and
the opposing surface of the dial ring 56 and remains in this
position during the cutting operation. The spring-biased structure
of the blade holder allows the user to easily change the current
cutting position of the blade 70 without detaching the cable
stripper 10 from the cable by first releasing the blade cap 100 and
then, by readjusting the thumb screw.
[0034] Another hole 50 (FIG. 4) can be tapped in the blade holder
60 at an angular distance from both holes 48 and 46 to provide a
spiral cut, if needed. If a cable to be processed in not round, a
wave spring 108 (FIG. 1) keeps the blade support in contact with
this cable for constant blade penetration while the entire blade
assembly is being adjusted.
[0035] An axial cut requires that forces applied by the user to the
cable stripper be uniform and unidirectional. The handle 20
attached to the outer side of the cable support 12 and the blade
cap 100 constitute the guide assembly meeting the requirement for
the desired axial cut. The blade cap 100 is dimensioned to provide
a sufficiently large surface allowing the user to have a
comfortable grip by one of the user's hands, whereas the other hand
can conveniently hold the handle 20. To ensure the right
distribution and direction of the pulling forces, the point of
attachment of the handle 20 is located on a central axis 104
extending through the blade cap 100 and through the blade 70. While
different shapes of the handle can be successfully used, a
ring-shape handle swingably attached to the cable support 12 is
preferred.
[0036] While this disclosure has described various aspects of the
present invention, the latter is not limited thereto, and is
susceptible to numerous changes and modifications as known to those
skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the
details shown and described herein, and includes all such changes
and modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appended
claims.
* * * * *